


The Underworld Is The Place For Us

by Miraculous_786



Series: ML Salt, Maribat & Adribat: Asks and Prompts [26]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, F/M, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25691293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miraculous_786/pseuds/Miraculous_786
Summary: He said he'd love her no matter what domain she ruled over - so why did he leave? Why did he not return to Earth?Marinette makes the decision to make sure he does, and who knows? Maybe he'll be okay with that.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Batfamily Members & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Series: ML Salt, Maribat & Adribat: Asks and Prompts [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1628164
Comments: 13
Kudos: 184





	The Underworld Is The Place For Us

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much Nonnies and 'loveswifi' for the help with this! Hope you enjoy it! ❤️❤️

  * Damian is son to Talia al Ghul, the goddess of harvest, sacred law, and the cycle of life and death. There are rumours that beneath her sweet exterior is a woman of high authority and challenge, but none have been confirmed.
  * She is believed to have wooed Bruce (Zeus) into having her child, however it is more widely accepted that she used her magic and power over fertility to have his offspring without him knowing. His wife Selina refuses to believe that such a brooding yet faithful man would cheat on her after he rid of his playboy-persona millennia ago.
  * In this AU, Jason is Ares, Dick is Hermes, and Tim is Athena.
  * Marinette is Hades - goddess of the Underworld. She took visits to Earth in order to experience what life was like for mortals years ago, except stopped when gossip flew about around her being dark, despicable, _evil_.
  * Only those who know her well are aware of her true bubbly personality. They’re mostly the deceased souls of those who’ve died.
  * What happened was that a class of teenagers she came back to frequently were put under the spell of Dolos, or _Lila_ who she took the form of. She sensed Marinette’s ichor and threatened to turn her followers against her if she didn’t conform to her will.
  * Marinette laughed. Her domain didn’t need any worshippers in order to prosper, but she didn’t tell Lila that. She only sat back and watched, a grin on her face as students with glowing eyes accused her of unspeakable acts. It was only when one that she viewed as a sibling of sorts - Adrien Agreste - did as well that she decided to do something.
  * With a flick of the wrist, a crack formed in the ground beneath Dolos, soon enlarging into a crater as limbs made of fire pulled her screaming form down into the depths of the Underworld. The class watched, stunned, but then a fog began to clear out of their minds. They seemed to wake up, apologies on the tips of their tongues, only to realise that _Bridgette_ and Adrien weren't there anymore.
  * It was only after all of their deaths that they learnt what happened.
  * Dolos was doomed to having to solve an infinite puzzle, whilst Adrien was allowed to live as an equal to Marinette in hell. The class, now adults, are sentenced to be souls who help them in their duties. They aren’t mistreated, however. On the contrary, they’re viewed as friends to her.
  * Now, we skip to present day.
  * Damian is sitting on a bench in one of the gardens that he is confined to on the orders of his mother, when he suddenly hears what sounds like a bark. He turns around, only to be met with something shoving him to the ground.
  * He whips out a vine, wrapping it around the creature to inspect its species. That's when he realises that it's a dog. A very _happy_ dog that starts to lick his face all over and leave its saliva everywhere.
  * Despite his cold personality, Damian has a soft spot for nature and animals of any sort. He picks it up, stroking it gently and trying to fight off the urge to smile at the way it leans into his touch.
  * He's touch-starved himself, to put it simply.
  * Damian sits with what he realises to be a male dog for a few minutes more. He doesn’t bother to keep an eye out for Talia - he’s too busy creating vines that his new friend bats at with his paws. It explains why he doesn’t realise the person walking up to him until they put a hand on his shoulder.
  * A polite voice calls for him, asking if he found their pet.
  * He turns, only to be met with a beautiful face framed by a black hood. The _woman_ smiles at him, then suddenly calls out, “Titus!” with a surprised expression.
  * The animal in his arms leaps forward, starting to lick her whilst jumping up and down happily. Her laughter causes Damian to freeze, since he starts to sense the magic surrounding her. _She’s a diety,_ he realises. _But how did she get in here?_
  * That day is the day that a friendship blossomed between Damian and Marinette.
  * She convinces him that she’s a nymph of sorts, citing that the reason some plants wilt around her are because of a curse set upon her by Talia. It makes him cautious and understandably distrustful until she assures him that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
  * They keep their meetings a secret for years, though it doesn't feel like that long because of their immortality. Titus is usually the communication between them, and leads Damian to where he needs to go within his mother's gardens to find Marinette.
  * She has earrings that preserve her identity and prevent nature around her dying - however, plants still wilt and weaken enough to be on the brink of death. They are brought back to life by Damian almost constantly when she is in his presence, meaning she can touch them without worry.
  * As time passes, the two become closer. Instead of words, they begin to trade flower crowns and daisy chains. They always have blushes on their cheeks when talking to one another, or even thinking about each other.
  * This doesn't go unnoticed by Talia.
  * She plans to figure out once and for all why her son's demeanor has changed, at least until she's called to Olympus by the higher-ups in order to discuss something. Something involving Damian.
  * This only makes it easier for the two to get away with their escapades.
  * One day, whilst her and Damian are sitting under a tree, Marinette pulls out a black ring. She shyly offers it to him, making him flustered as he slowly takes and slides it on his finger.
  * What he doesn't know is that there's magic laced within the jewellery.
  * They relax for a few minutes in silence, until she breaks it by calling his name. She takes a deep breath, preparing herself as she explains that she's not really a nymph - she's a diety. A diety that he wouldn't like if he found out about the domain that she ruled over.
  * A soft hand cups her tear-stained cheek. She looks up, only to hear Damian whisper, "I'm sure that's not true, _Beloved_."
  * That's all it takes for her to yank him forward into a kiss, which he returns full-force under the watchful gaze of her sibling Adrien in the shadows. It takes all of his will to not jump up and down from joy.
  * They officially become a couple that day.
  * Marinette returns to the Underworld in the evening with a dazed expression, causing Alya and her friends to grin and float up to her. She deals with their relentless teasing, trying to cover her face out of embarrassment whilst she hesitantly tells them all what happened.
  * Adrien is the first to suggest courting Damian, though she immediately shuts it down and expresses fear at being found out. Her reputation was tainted, after all - and maybe he would go back on his promise of still loving her true self.
  * He manages to convince her of his sincerity by reminding her of all their interactions (he may or may not have watched over them to keep watch and see his ship sail), and Marinette eventually comes to the decision to start courting.
  * As she prepares lavish gems to gift him in the future, she is unaware of what is happening in the skies way above.
  * Bruce, after a long conversation with Selina and his _many_ children, had decided to have a conversation with Talia about his youngest son not too long ago. He showed interest in wanting to have custody of Damian on Olympus instead of her having him on Earth, making Talia lose her sweet attitude and gain a scowl.
  * She'd refused to give him up - saying that he was her pride and joy and the perfect soldier for them to use in battle against future enemies trying to overthrow them. That made him even more angry.
  * Lightning struck harsh that night, and the goddess of harvest had returned home with her tail between her legs and a newly-formed resentment towards Damian. He was too busy thinking about his 'nymph' friend to notice, however.
  * In Olympus at the current moment in time, Damian is kneeling before Bruce. The god tells him to stand, his sons and daughters at his side displaying various levels of shock as he begins to explain why he is there, and why he will be in the future.
  * Everyone had agreed that Talia wasn't a good fit for him, due to her revealed intentions for his birth. He doesn't have time to argue about the situation before he is whisked away into a room fit for a royal, high in the clouds and miles away from his girlfriend.
  * The next morning, a dinner is set up with all of the gods in Olympus, including Tim, Jason and Dick. Dick is enthusiastic, trying to make conversation with Damian as his brothers are eating (or drinking coffee...). However, he has none of it.
  * He's too busy thinking about Marinette. How she would think that he'd broken his promise, or had abandoned her, or forgotten about her. His demeanor switches to his defensive one - cold, cruel, uncaring.
  * Marinette returns to Earth with a crown in her hands the next day, which has a shining jewel in the centre and spikes with the finest of gems at their points. She looks around excitedly, smile on her face as she and Titus wait for Damian.
  * Hours pass.
  * Up in Olympus, said diety is being introduced to family friends and other gods, that all coo at him much to his displeasure. He growls under his breath after every new person he meets, only cementing in everyone that he is a child. A young one that needs to be watched over like a hawk lest he attempts to go back to his mother.
  * Just as he enters his room with a heavy heart, he senses something strange in the mortal world. Large fields of crops near to his old home had just been destroyed - their roots upended and ripped out. His eyes widen.
  * Damian rushes to Earth, taking a route that is unknown to most whilst trying to keep hidden from his new siblings. He reaches his destination in a matter of mere seconds, but it's too late. He only breathes out a shocked sigh as he gazes down at the crater in the ground.
  * There's a glint of something gold at the bottom of it, and he picks the item - the _crown_ \- up with almost invisible tears in his eyes. The ring on his finger burns as a reminder of Marinette's emotions.
  * Below him, a frantic Adrien is trying to calm her down, but it's no use. The goddess of the Underworld is hysteric, crying rivers of tears filled with betrayal as souls all around try to ease her too.
  * Damian spends the next centuries and millennia on Olympus, sometimes returning to Earth when he wants to remember Marinette.
  * He keeps her a secret from all of the gods except for one of his friends - Jon (Artemis) - though he only mentions that she was someone important that handed him the crown that is always on his head.
  * He reluctantly begins to view Tim, Jason and Dick as brothers when enough time has passed, but never admits it. Selina and Bruce, however, catch the glints of relief in his eyes when they're in his presence. He finally has someone to talk to without worrying about Talia, excluding Marinette all those years ago.
  * Speaking of which, she had slowly become closed off and harsher in her treatment of the dead in the Underworld. They see that she's spiraling, hiding her depressed state under a constant frown, but can do nothing about it. Even Adrien is unable to bring back her kind personality in the absence of Damian.
  * That is, until he catches word from the messenger, Dick, that he is up in the skies on Olympus.
  * It's a slip-up, of course, but he still manages to catch what Dick says and act like he didn't. He waits until he's gone before he rushes back to Marinette and tells her what he suspects.
  * A small smile spreads across her face. One that is cruel like the rumours say, yet happy like she once was. _Of course he didn't want to leave her,_ she thinks. _He was simply forced into doing so_.
  * Damian is talking to Jon about another recent affair in the middle of a mortal forest, when suddenly, he freezes. He feels a familiar burn at the ring on his hand, along with fields full of nature dying in an instant miles away.
  * He uses a zeta portal to teleport to the area, leaving behind a confused Jon. He zips around, eyes wide as he senses the plants around wilting slightly, along with some of the nearby animals inching away from him.
  * Everything becomes quiet. That's when he catches a flash of black darting around in the corner of his vision. He turns there, his eyes widening in recognition when seeing a dog wagging its tail happily.
  * "Titus!"
  * Damian takes a step forward.
  * A large crack forms in the ground beneath him, revealing the depths of the Underworld in all of their glory. Just as he's about to fall down, a chariot of the darkest colours hovers below him, soon speeding off without a second to waste with him inside.
  * He tries to command vines to capture the person at the reigns of it, but can only muster enough energy to sag back. Strong magic fills the air around him, forcing him to stay seated on plush pillows.
  * The last thing he sees before his sight is shrouded with nothing is a glint of red at his kidnapper's ears.



**Author's Note:**

> There will be a second part, which will include general headcannons and what happens after this. Feel free to comment any suggestions of different legends in Greek mythology that could be included. :)


End file.
